2012 NFL Combine: Who Has the Most to Gain/Lose?

DEFENSE

Jared Crick, DE, Nebraska
Crick missed most of his senior season due to a torn pectoral muscle. Missing his senior year will certainly hurt his stock, but if he can come into the combine showing the same skills he displayed throughout his Cornhuskers career, he could rebound some of that stock.

Michael Brockers, DT, LSU
The knock on Brockers is his inconsistency during games, his plus is his upside. If Brockers doesn’t show up big during workouts, it might leave teams looking the other way.

Shea McClellin, LB/DE, Boise State
McClellin was was an undersized defensive end at Boise State that was placed with the linebackers at the Senior Bowl. I question if he has the athleticism to play linebacker at the next level and it will be interesting to see how he compares to the fellow linebackers in Indianapolis.

Zach Brown, OLB, North Carolina
Brown’s game is based off speed, so if he can run an impressive 40 time and show up big during drills, it might have teams looking at him despite his limited scheme versatility. His speed hasn’t got the same kind of hype as Dontay Moch’s last season, but there’s still time.

Dont’a Hightower, ILB, Alabama
If Hightower’s going to have value as an edge rusher, he’ll have to prove his speed at the combine. I’ll also be looking forward to watching Hightower in the linebacker drills, especially in pass rush drills.

Bruce Irvin, OLB, West Virginia
Irvin is undersized for a 3-4 OLB and he’s going to have to show off his skills in pass rush drills to boost his stock. Irvin is thought of as a very speedy player, being a former WR, so a solid 40 time could help him out.

Cliff Harris, CB, Oregon
The biggest thing that Harris is going to have to prove at the combine will be in private interviews with teams. Harris was dismissed from Oregon late last season for breaking various team rules. He’s an extremely talented player that could move up draft boards if he interviews well, but he’s a player with a ton of character concerns.

Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama
James will be on display right next to top cornerbacks Morris Claiborne and Dre Kirkpatrick. James has a disadvantage size-wise and from a character standpoint, so he’ll really have to outshine Claiborne and Kirkpatrick if he’s hoping to pass them on draft boards. This is a talented class of CBs, so he will have to show the same skills he displayed at the senior bowl to confirm his status at the no. 3 CB.

Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska
Dennard lost some steam at the Senior Bowl and left early with an injury. To come back into the first round, he’s going to have to have a good showing during defensive back drills. There have been some questions about Dennard’s speed as well, if he can come in in the 4.5 range, he should be fine.

George Iloka, S, Boise State
Iloka played some cornerback late in his Boise State career, so he should have an upper foot on the rest of the safeties in coverage drills. With Barron’s double hernia surgery, there could be an opening for first safety taken.